Suicide Risk Assessment

Suicide Risk Assessment and Management Emergency Department

NSW DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 73 Miller Street NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2060 Tel. [phone] Fax. [phone] TTY. [phone] www.health.nsw.gov.au This work is copyright. It may be reproduced in whole or in part for study or training purposes subject to the inclusion of an acknowledgement of the source. It may not be reproduced for commercial usage or sale. Reproduction for purposes other than those indicated above requires written permission from the NSW Department of Health. © NSW Department of Health 2004 SHPN (MH) 040186 ISBN 0 7347 3723 8 For further copies of this document please contact: Better Health Centre – Publications Warehouse Locked Mail Bag 5003 Gladesville NSW 2111…show more content…
Detection.......................................................................2 Triage on presentation ...................................................3 Initial assessment ..........................................................3 – Brief psychiatric assessment ....................................3 Determination of suicide risk level..................................4 – Changeability ...........................................................4 – Assessment confidence ...........................................4 Suicide Risk Assessment Guide ....................................5

References ......................................................8

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Framework for Suicide Risk Assessment and Management for NSW Health Staff – SHPN (MH) 040184 Suicide Risk Assessment and Management Protocols: General Hospital Ward – SHPN (MH) 040185 Suicide Risk Assessment and Management Protocols: General Community Health Service – SHPN (MH) 040187 Suicide Risk Assessment and Management Protocols: Community Mental Health Service – SHPN (MH) 040182 Suicide Risk Assessment and Management Protocols: Mental Health In-Patient Unit – SHPN (MH) 040183 Suicide Risk Assessment and Management Protocols: Justice Health Long Bay Hospital – SHPN (MH) 040188

NSW Health

Suicide Risk Assessment and Management: Emergency…show more content…
■ Are you thinking of suicide? ■ Have you ever tried to harm yourself? ■ Have you made any current plans? ■ Do you have access to a firearm? Access to

Refer to the Suicide Risk Assessment Guide (p 5) to assist in estimating the current level of suicide risk. It is a guide only, however, and is not intended to replace clinical decision-making and practice.

other lethal means?

Changeability
Risk status is changeable and requires regular re-assessment. For people identified as having highly changeable risk status, more vigilant or frequent management may be required.

Additional aspects for assessment following an episode of self-harm or attempted suicide:
■ What exactly did the person do?

For example, how many tablets were used, length of time in the car, what sort of knife was used, to what was the rope attached?
■ What precipitated the self-harm?

Assessment confidence
Low assessment confidence may be related to:
■ factors in the person at risk, such as impulsivity,

Have the causes resolved or are they still present?
■ What is the person’s intention now?

likelihood of drug of alcohol abuse, present intoxication, inability to engage
■ factors in the social environment, such as